Kenya and Uganda have banned the use of thin plastic bags in an effort to curb environmental damage.

Ugandan Finance Minister Ezra Suruma banned the importation and use of the thinnest bags and imposed a 120% tax on thicker ones in his new budget.

The Kenyan finance minister imposed similar restrictions in his budget, following Rwanda and Tanzania.

The BBC's Juliet Njeri in Nairobi says discarded plastic bags are often seen by the roadside in residential areas.

She also says that there is a problem with bags blocking drains in the city.

Tanzania set the pace for the East African Community in 2006, when Vice-President Ali Mohamed Shein announced a total ban on plastic bags and ordered a switch to recyclable materials or biodegradable alternatives.